Consultation with rheumatologist: debut of systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the most complex rheumatological diseases, occurring with a variety of clinical forms and manifestations. The debuts and variants of the course of SLE can vary significantly, so it is called ‘chameleon disease’ or ‘the great imitator of diseases’. In 2019, a group of experts from the European Anti-Rheumatic League and the American College of Rheumatology developed the latest criteria for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus. A prerequisite for the diagnosis is a positive antinuclear factor in combination with the seven clinical criteria for SLE (constitutional, hematological, neuropsychiatric, skin‑mucosal, polyserositis, renal) and the three immunological signs (antiphospholipid antibodies, levels of complement and its fractions, SLE‑specific autoantibodies) The article describes a case of systemic lupus erythematosus, diagnosed in a patient who was admitted to the hospital with a directional diagnosis of ‘fever of unknown origin’. The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus was established on the basis of seven clinical criteria and two immunological diagnostic criteria.